Prudence (Prudy) Mayhew Whiting died on July 8 at her home in West Tisbury, on the beautiful farm where she lived her entire life. She was 76.

Prudy was known for her generosity and friendship, her quick wit and her robust sense of humor. She was delighted by simple, tasteful pleasures provided to her by the changing seasons of the Island she loved.

She was born at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital on April 13, 1948 to Everett and Jane Whiting. Her grandparents were Johnson and Emma (Mayhew) Whiting and Percy and Jane (Look) Cowen. She was raised on the Whiting Farm, spending her early years helping her father, with her brothers Danny and Allen alongside many quirky farm dogs, to care for the sheep, cows, pigs and chickens. She was the apple of her father’s eye, who inspired her and helped cultivate a deep love of their land, eventually becoming his reliable farm hand. She lost her mother when she was 22.

Summers were filled with time spent on the beaches of Black Point and Quansoo, and on the shores of the Tisbury Great Pond, with her Aunt Bea and Uncle John, and her cousins Soo and Bill.

She attended elementary school at the old West Tisbury School (now the town hall), and then the regional high school. She went on to study at Franconia College in New Hampshire, where she met people who would become lifelong friends. After graduation she spent time in San Miguel Allende, Mexico with her friend Becky Wild.

When she returned to Martha’s Vineyard, she had many jobs. Prudy worked at Farmer Greene’s stand and waitressed at the Seafood Shanty and The Black Dog. She clammed and oystered on the Great Pond and was one of the early organizers of the West Tisbury Farmer’s Market. Later, she ran The Old Parsonage as a Bed and Breakfast, before settling into an elected position as the West Tisbury town clerk, a role she held for 13 years.

After town hall, she spent a few years working part-time at Alley’s General Store, allowing her time to gab with customers and keep up on town chatter.

Prudy met Bill Solon in 1971, and they were married in September of 1979. Bill and Prudy were together for 19 years. They had one son, William Davis Solon, in 1983. Prudy adored Davis and treasured raising him alongside his cousins on the farm.

She enjoyed reading, gardening, cooking and travel. Over the years, she went with her son to Bermuda, Jamaica and Hawaii, and later to Italy and Cuba with friends. She cherished her time with family and friends, making time for weekly walks and lunches with girlfriends. On Sundays in the summer, she carried on the tradition of playing a special iteration of croquet that her Uncle John had brought back from Kenya. She and her “croquie” partner Bob Fogelson made a fearsome team. Recently, she spent time volunteering, sorting and packaging cranberries for the Vineyard Open Land Foundation, of which she was also a trustee.

She was a devoted grandmother, guilty of spoiling her two granddaughters beyond measure. They would run with friends to her house from across the field and be sure to receive a “goodie” of some kind. Her home was always open to company. Frequent visitors included her friends Laura Murphy and Joanie Jenkinson. Her brother Allen wandered over from his yard often to check in and chat.

Prudy’s heart and soul were imbedded in the sand and soil and waters of this Island, and she will be forever missed.

She is survived by her son William Davis Solon, his wife Gina, and their two daughters, Simone and Isla Jane, her brothers Danny (Anne) Whiting, Allen (Lynne) Whiting, cousin Susan (Soo) Whiting, nieces and nephews Daniel (Katie) Whiting, Tara (Peter) Wells, William (Ózge) Whiting, Beatrice (Patrick) Whiting, Everett Whiting, great nieces and nephews David, Emma, Asa, Prudence and Nora, and countless beloved friends.

A celebration of her life will be held on Friday, July 26 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Agricultural Hall.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Waylon Madison Sauer Scholarship Fund, a cause that was near to her heart: liveforwaylon.org or PO Box 3117 West Tisbury 02575.